The present invention relates generally to the interfacing with computer and mechanical devices by a user, and more particularly to devices used to interface with computer systems and electronic devices and which provide haptic feedback to the user.
Humans interface with electronic and mechanical devices in a variety of applications, and the need for a more natural, easy-to-use, and informative interface is a constant concern. In the context of the present invention, humans interface with computer devices for a variety of applications. One such application is interacting with computer-generated environments such as are found in, for example, games, simulations, and application programs.
In some interface devices, force feedback or tactile feedback is also provided to the user, collectively known herein as “haptic feedback.” For example, haptic versions of joysticks, mice, game pads, steering wheels, or other types of devices can output forces to the user based on events or interactions occurring within the computer-generated environment, such as a graphical environment found in a game, simulation or other application program.
In portable computer or electronic devices, such as laptop computers, moveable mouse-type position encoding input device often require too large a workspace to be practical. As a result, more compact devices such as trackballs are often used. A more popular device for portable computers are “touchpads,” which are usually embodied as small rectangular, planar pads provided near the keyboard of the computer. Touchscreens are also used and becoming more popular. Touchpads do not incorporate an integral display device—touchscreens do. Such touch input devices sense the location of a pointing object (such as a user's finger or an input stylus) by any of a variety of sensing technologies, such as capacitive sensors, infrared light beams, pressure sensors that detect pressure applied to the touch input device, and the like. In a common application the user contacts the touch input device with a fingertip and moves his or her finger on the surface of the control to move a cursor displayed in the graphical environment or to select a displayed element. In other applications, a stylus may be used instead of a finger.
One problem with existing touch input devices is that there is no haptic feedback provided to the user. The user of a touchpad is therefore not able to experience haptic sensations that assist and inform the user of targeting and other control tasks within the graphical environment. The touch input devices of the prior art also cannot take advantage of existing haptic-enabled software run on the portable computer.